5 health benefits of Chia Seeds

It's likely you've seen a number of chia seed-based foods popping up in the grocery store in the last year or so. That's because the world finally became aware of the many amazing health benefits of the seeds of the chia plant. Yes, the same plant used in Chia Pets! Chia seeds are actually good for a lot more than growing funny pet plants! If you've never tried chia seeds before, you'll want to eat some after reading about these 5 Health Benefits of Chia Seeds!

1. Help Stabilize Blood Sugar
Did you know that one of the benefits of chia seeds is that they can help you control your blood sugar? Whether you have diabetes or not, chia seeds can help keep your blood sugar at a good level by slowing how quickly glucose flows into your blood. Also, the majority of the carbohydrates in chia seeds come from fiber, which doesn't make your blood sugar go up, making them a safe ingredient for diabetics!

2. Improve Brain Function
Chia seeds are full of brain benefiting nutrients! They include healthy omega-3 ALA which your brain uses to make DHA fatty acids (a necessity for good brain function). Chia seeds also are a complete protein full of the nine essential amino acids needed to keep your mood stable and your brain working at its best. And chia seeds are full of antioxidants, which help fight free radicals and save your brain from all the damage free radicals can cause. Lastly, as mentioned, chia seeds release glucose slowly, which helps it get to your brain to be used as energy.

3. Aid Weight Loss
Have you ever put chia seeds in milk or water? If so, you've probably seen them start to poof up. This is the result of one of the benefits of chia seeds. Chia seeds tend to absorb 10 times their own weight in liquids. In a cup of liquid, this leads to them poofing up. In your stomach, this leads to a feeling of fullness. So if you want to have a snack, but are trying to cut back on the calories, have a chia seed-based snack. You'll feel full faster, and will be less likely to go grab another snack soon after.

4. Reduce Inflammation
Chia seeds are wonderfully full of helpful flavanols and other nutrients which act as strong antioxidants. These nutrients help reduce inflammation in your body. This is a critical benefit as inflammation has been linked to being the cause of so many health issues and discomforts.

5. Aid Digestion
One of the best benefits of chia seeds is that they help improve your body's digestion of the other foods you eat. They naturally help improve your GI health because they're so fibrous. All that fiber helps to keep other foods passing easily through your gut, and keeps your colon healthy. So consider adding a handful of chia seeds to your next meal!